OPEN OFFICE SPACE – A Good Thing or Not So Much?

I had the opportunity to attend an open house. It was a small office with a newly designed open office space. It was quite attractive and everyone seemed to love it. Everyone except me…

So, am I the only one? Am I the only one that really dislikes this office style? In my house, yes. I love an open floor plan. I don’t like to be confined by walls. I like it free-flowing. But in my house, well, that’s private. I can do whatever I want. I can say whatever I want and I can work in any manner that suits me.

It’s strange but the open plan confines me. It makes me uncomfortable. It heaps a degree of rigidity upon me that decreases my creativity and squeezes me into a mold where I’m clearly not at ease.

That’s the opposite of how I should be feeling. So, I begin to wonder, what’s wrong with me?

Everyone else seems to like it just fine. Has it happened, I ponder? Have I reached the stage in life where I’ve simply crossed a generational boundary and I’ve become THAT person?

Or, is it merely my introverted nature? I love people but I treasure my privacy and I work best in solitude. I’m obviously not talking about a team-based project where direct interaction is key to success. I’m talking those times where individual output is required and I need to be head down diving into my work.

According to The New Yorker the open office was originally designed by a team from Hamburg, Germany, in the 1950s, to enable communication and idea flow.

And more recently, companies like Google and Facebook seemed to popularize the design. The International Facilities Management Association tells us that as of 2010 nearly 70 percent of American offices were employing some version of the open-office plan.

It promotes camaraderie, they say…

It spurs creativity, they say…

It builds an open culture, they say…

It will increase productivity, they say…

It encourages communication, they say…

It provides a more laid-back, non-stuffy environment, they say…

It helps employees bond more easily, they say…

Those are all great things. Who can argue? So, why do I feel so confined and uncomfortable with the thought of an open office space in a land of brightly colored comfy sofas?

There does seem to be some mounting research that reveals that the open office space is a haven for germs and sickness. And other research tells us that the open office space harms our mental health.

But has the pendulum swung too far? Are we being brainwashed about open workplaces? Are we made to feel prudish when we don’t conform or accept this idea? Certainly, there has to be some middle ground when it comes to office space.

And what about personalization? Do you have any control in an open-office environment? Can you really make it your own space? Or is that the point? Is it meant to feel transient and not permanent?

I Need to Know…

Am I entirely too old school at this point? Or are there others out there like me who feel just as uncomfortable with this design? I’d love to know your thoughts. Do you like it? Hate it? Don’t really care? Or, is it simply a generationally-focused initiative that suits most Millennials?

Or, should we stop this madness now and find something more middle ground and stop forcing people to work in discomfort? Over to you…

About the AuthorJan Johnston Osburn

Jan Johnston Osburn is a Global Talent Acquisition professional with more than 20 years’ experience and a proven track record of driving transformational initiatives. Her domestic and international Human Resources recruiting experience is extensive as well as her expertise in managing geographically dispersed teams of recruiters in high volume organizations.
As a Career Strategist she upon my vast recruitment and career development background to help other professionals design their new career path.
She holds a Master’s degree from the University of Buckingham, UK as well as certifications in Human Resources, Executive Coaching, Advanced Social Media, and is currently pursuing credentials as a Certified Resume Writer and Life Strategy Coach and brings her vast knowledge as a contributor to niagarabuzz.ca.
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